Home Brewing / Micro Brewery / My own beer

[luxe]

Hi,

Anyone have experience with Home brewing? I am checking out a few (dismal) local sites on starter kits, and a few UK (awesome) sites regarding starter equipment for home brewing.

Has anyone tried this before, have you bought a kit from a store , or made up the parts yourself, what style did you make?

I am definately going to give this a go, so I can have my own brew ready for Christmas and the engorgement that shall ensue.

If you've done this please let me know of the results, and from where / how I can get my hands on the equipment.

Cheers!

edit - looking at equipment, are there thermometers around that can give me a max / min reading as well? I want to find the best room in the house for brewing, and want to evaluate the temp differences in each one so that i make the right choice. Surely this exists....but what is it called!

[MickeyD]

Some local hardware stores sell the kits (starter brewing kit and the refill kits).

My father-in-law used to brew his own for many years and always sent a case or two my way!

It's an acquired taste, but at that cost per pint it is easy to acquire the taste!

[luxe]

A colleague of mine says he bought one in CT, havent seen anything in JHB tho.

Speaking of taste, I see you can really buy any "beer kit" (not the equipment, more the mix) from lager to cider to perry to ale to stout etc etc..finding one that rocks shouldnt be too difficult?

[Budza]

No legal constraints?

What's the cost work out to per litre?

[MickeyD]

No legal constraints?
What's the cost work out to per litre?

Perfectly legal if for personal consumption.
Last time we worked it out at about R2,50 per pint.

[luxe]

Home Brew (UK)

[syntax]

I tried, it was not exactly the tastiest stuff i have had...prefer purchasing..

[luxe]

Did you use a kit tau1z ?

[syntax]

Did you use a kit tau1z ?

I did...i am busy digging up emails now to try find out what i used. So i can advise you against it.... (it really was not good, although i have heard some good success stories with home brewing..)

[MickeyD]

We used to customise it slightly... instead of adding the sugar to the "brew", we would mix the brew, leave it for a day or 3 and then bottle it. Before capping each bottle, we would add some sugar to each bottle. If you wanted "lights" then you added less sugar...

Once capped, you leave it for 2-3 weeks before drinking!

[zamicro]

I used to brew my own when in varsity. Used the bag hanging in the cupboard trick. Worked ok, and it was very cheap. I am trying to remember where I bought it from, but somehow, I cannot remember. Most likely from a fellow student

[MickeyD]

We used mostly NFP kits...
http://www.thehomebrewshop.co.za/beer.html

[luxe]

Thanks - @mickey, yeah i am aware of the secondary fermenetation, seems like most kits encourage it. I'll probably get one of the NFP kits to start off with, and buy a few "starter packs" from the UK to get a nice mix of different styles / tastes.

I'll get my hands on a kit and let you know how it goes..if you are close to Sandton, I might send a few bottles your way

[MickeyD]

Tip: don't drink the last 25ml or so... best is to pour into glass and not pour the last little bit!

PS. I'm on the SE coast, but thanks!

[luxe]

I used to brew my own when in varsity. Used the bag hanging in the cupboard trick. Worked ok, and it was very cheap. I am trying to remember where I bought it from, but somehow, I cannot remember. Most likely from a fellow student

the memory loss could be a by-product of the beer in a bag trick!

I also did the old grated pineapple with sugar yeast and water in my varsity days...i swear the end product was 50% ABV.